As Usual
by Austin B
Summary: Could this be real? Could Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist and social inept be playing a practical joke? Total BB.
1. As Usual

Summary: Bones' practical joke makes Booth think. Total BB loveliness.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.

**As Usual**

* * *

Agent Booth approached the familiar lab, pushing down the excitement he felt welling in his chest every time he recognized his partner's level auburn ponytail and straight, guarded stance. She'd become easy for him to recognize, even from behind, even from long distances. Maybe it was because Booth had become accustomed to looking for her. Maybe because of the many collective hours he'd spent watching her, drinking in every detail greedily, even the unconscious details she wasn't even aware of.

Booth took a deep breath and strode evenly up the steps toward the platform, where the good Dr. Brennan and Angela were working. Well, Bones was attempting to work while Angela was hovering around her, seemingly quizzing her best friend about something she was uncomfortable answering, since Bones kept looking up from the skeleton, annoyed, gesturing sternly. She was probably asking about her date with Glenn Broomfield – Bloomstead – whatever. He didn't want to think about it except to hope the man was an annoying, chauvinistic ass. He caught a line of their conversation before Angela noticed him.

"I just don't understand why, if he's so successful and it went so well, you're not going out with him again!"

"I don't know…he just didn't spark my interest is all."

Booth couldn't help the satisfied grin he felt grow across his face.

"Hey Booth." Angela said with a grin that matched his, glancing from him to her friend, who had her focus turned back on the skeleton on her table.

"Hi." He returned her greeting. "Hey Bones."

She turned her blue eyes up to meet his and gave him a desperate look followed by a smile. "Thanks for saving me. She's like a vulture sometimes."

He grinned at her. "Anytime."

Angela rolled her eyes. God, if those two didn't get together soon, she was probably going to explode.

Bones descended the platform with Booth on her heels, going to her office to show him the notes she'd put together on their case. Angela tagged along behind.

Bones had opened the file, Booth hovering closely over her shoulder, and began saying something anthropological to him that he probably didn't understand when they both noticed Angela leaning against the doorframe. Not that she wasn't welcome, they just weren't used to anyone being there with them as they bounced ideas off each other and talked out the case.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know this was a private party."

"It's not…whatever that means. We just-"

"Want to be alone. Gotcha. Say no more." Angela smiled and winked.

Booth grinned. He didn't know why, but he always enjoyed Angela's comments. Just like how he always enjoyed the way people assumed he and Bones were a couple. He rarely corrected them. Bones, however, was rolling her eyes.

"Angela." She called her best friend back before she could turn and leave.

"Yes, sweetie."

"There's something I want to tell you. I know you've wanted to hear this for a long time, so here goes." Bones took a deep breath and discreetly reached down to lace her fingers through Booth's. He looked down at their hands in surprise. "Booth and I…we're together. We're in love."

Booth and Angela's jaws dropped simultaneously. They stared at the forensic anthropologist, whose face betrayed no humor. Booth's heart hammered against his chest. They'd never said anything about that before. Not that he hadn't felt it…he thought that maybe she might've felt it, too. But how did she know with such certainty how he felt about her and why the hell was she blurting it out to Angela before discussing it with him?

"Really?!?!" Angela shrieked, finally regaining her senses.

"No." Bones replied directly, with a smirk as she watched Angela try to find words for her anger.

"Bren, how could you!? Are you trying to kill me? Really, do you want me to have a heart attack!?"

Bones had released Booth's hand and walked past her fuming friend out to the platform again.

"Well, serves you right for grilling me about me and Booth all the time."

The two friends bickered on the platform until Angela stormed away, not really angry, she knew Bren wouldn't let her get away with it for long. Booth was trying to calm his pulse and control his shaking hands. There was no denying it now. Hearing Bones say those words had sent his hopes flying, and she dashed them just as quickly.

"Booth? You coming?" He heard her ask, and he stepped up to the platform.

"Yeah, I'm listening." She was watching him closely, she knew something was up.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, you just shocked me a little back there." He tried to laugh a little. Bones grinned.

"Sorry, but she left me no choice. I think she actually believed me for a second. To think, us, in love." She chuckled to herself. Booth forced a smile.

"Yeah, ridiculous."

She started to spout off her findings to him again. He didn't meet her eyes when he knew she was looking at him. He fastened his gaze to the skeleton, knowing if he glanced up she would instantly recognize the love and disappointment clearly written in his chocolate eyes that for some reason she seemed to read so well.

"What's the matter?" He heard her ask, and he started back to reality, meeting her eyes for a moment before glancing back down at the skeleton.

"Nothing…you were saying?" He prompted, and her brows were furrowed as she analyzed him, but she continued. Booth took a deep breath and shook off the feeling, like he'd shaken it off so many other times when he hadn't quite acknowledged what it was, exactly. But now he knew, and suddenly Bones was staring at him again, and as he looked into her blue eyes, he thought she knew, too. But the look flickered in her eyes and was gone again as she cleared her throat and said something complicated.

"English, please?"

"Booth, I am speaking English. Just because you can't understand my technological terms does not mean…"

Booth grinned as she continued the rant he'd heard before and began walking down the platform. She followed automatically to his SUV as they continued their banter, as usual. But this time, when his hand unconsciously drifted to the small of her back, her voice hitched and she glanced sideways at him. He gave her his best charm smile and she smiled back, picking up her sentence again. They toyed with the illusion of normalcy that day, both knowing the other felt it, too. Both knowing that nothing was the same anymore.

* * *

No, I'm not finished yet. I've got another chapter and a little epilogue for this story. But I'd love to hear what you think so far! Drop me a line, I love reviews even if it's just to say hi! Thanks for reading,

Austin B.


	2. Payback

**Payback**

* * *

"I'm totally going to get you back for that stunt you pulled yesterday." Angela seethed as she leaned her hip against her friend's couch. Bones was working on her book after everyone had gone home for the day. Angela made a last ditch effort to get her friend to relax and go home before ten. Bones looked up and grinned. 

"The look on your face was priceless though Ang. I wish I had a camera."

Angela rolled her eyes and grinned. "But did you see Booth's face? He was shocked!"

Bones laughed a little and recalled her partner's strange behavior the day before. "Yeah, he was."

"I think he was a little disappointed that it was only a joke." Angela stated conspiratorially.

_Only a joke. Right, it was only a joke._

"You're incorrigible."

"Did you expect anything less?"

"No, I guess not. But I wish you'd give it a rest. Booth doesn't feel that way about me." Her voice dropped to almost a whisper, and Angela's sixth sense immediately picked up on it.

"How do you feel?"

Bones paused. What she felt could not be articulated. Not yet, anyway. She'd had inklings of it before, when they'd gotten close, but yesterday it felt stronger than ever.

"He's my partner. And my friend. Nothing more."

Angela saw the wheels turning. "Alright, then, I'll let it be. For now." She warned and headed for the door. "I don't want you staying here until all hours of the night working. Go home and relax, buy a T.V. or something."

"Goodnight, Ang."

"Night sweetie."

As Angela clicked her heels down the hallway, she spotted Booth's distinct stride coming toward her and she immediately grinned.

"Hi, you."

"Hey, Angela. She still here?" Somehow, he knew he didn't have to say who he was talking about.

"As usual. Good luck." She winked as she passed him and he smiled at her with a little confusion. How on earth she seemed to pick up on so much, he had no idea.

"Hey Bones." He greeted, entering and plopping on her couch comfortably. She barely glanced up.

"What're you doing here?" She asked, not bitter or threatening, just softly.

"I'm here to kidnap you."

"Did Angela send you?"

He laughed, "No, but I figured someone oughta force you to take a break once and a while."

"Booth, you don't have to look out for me all the time. I'm fine."

"I know, I know. But I was kind of hoping you'd want to come get some food with me."

She couldn't help but grin at his hopeful expression and she couldn't refuse him.

"As long as you're buying."

"As usual."

"And you let me drive."

"No way." He responded automatically.

"As usual." She rolled her eyes.

They didn't debate over where to go for dinner. Wong Foo's was assumed, and Bones didn't mind. She liked it there, and liked to consider it their place. They talked about the case a little, but Booth maneuvered the conversation to other things, as he liked to do.

He drove her home, walked her up to her door, despite her feeble protests.

"Just humor me, okay Bones? It's a gentlemanly thing."

"I thought you said I was essentially a guy to you. Would you walk your guy friends to their doors?"

Booth narrowed his eyes at her. "No, but you're different."

"Because I'm a-"

"Woman? Yeah, that has something to do with it."

Bones smiled and shook her head a little, still not really understanding. She unlocked her door and smiled back at him.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah." He replied softly, his voice suddenly giving out on him, his pulse picking up.

She crossed into her apartment, but his voice made her turn.

"Bones, one more thing."

He walked surely toward her, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her body tightly against his. Her eyes widened and her lips parted to exclaim an objection, but his lips stopped the words and all objections were forgotten. Slowly, her hands snaked up around his neck and he kissed her thoroughly. He inched back, and Bones pressed one last kiss to his lips before leaning back to catch her breath.

"I _know_ you felt that."

The power of speech eluded her at that moment, so she nodded. He grinned and stepped away.

"Good. See you tomorrow. Night, Bones."

She sent him a smoldering look, leaning against the door as he took a few steps backward down the hall, and blew him a kiss like she'd seen in the old movies she loved. He laughed and pretended to grab it out of the air and put it in his pocket. She laughed and shook her head as he passed out of sight. Closing her door, she leaned her back against it and sighed. _That_ was _definitely_ out of the ordinary. But she hoped it would become another one of their usuals that she'd come to love almost as much as the man she shared them with. Bones laughed out loud. _Angela is going to freak!_

* * *

"Don't toy with me, Brennan, I can't take that trauma again." 

"I'm not kidding. He just grabbed me and kissed me and-" she sighed, remembering, "it was amazing."

She heard a thud as the phone fell to the floor and her friend's muffled scream.

"Angela?"

"Oh my God that's incredible! And then he just left? You didn't ask him to stay?"

"No, Ang! I don't even know what's going to happen now."

"Listen to me, don't analyze this to death, please? Just let it be. Let it happen like it was meant to."

"If you're going to lecture me about us being made for each other, it's completely irrational-"

"Yeah, whatever, I know. But you know you want him."

She was silent for a moment, but Angela knew she was grinning. The artist laughed.

"Now go to sleep and dream about him."

"I don't know if I'll be able to fall asleep now." She sighed happily.

"Sweetie, you've got it bad."

"Got what?" Bones asked innocently.

"Never mind. Night, Bren. Call me later."

"Goodnight Angela."

* * *

Ashlynn - of course they fall in love for real, silly. 

Bella mi amore - hahaha I'm glad I got you excited!

collegeavatar - I feel bad for Booth all the time, because he clearly has 'got it bad' for Bones and she's just so clueless...thanks for t he review!

Thanks everybody else for the fantastic reviews. I love it when you review to tell me hi, too. I know I said I had an epilogue, but it was short so I blended it into this chapter. That means, yes this is The End. For this story, anyway. I've got another in the works, so put me on your author alert list: D

Hope everyone has a good rest of the week! TTFN,

Austin B.


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